Lincoln University of Missouri

http://www.lincolnu.edu

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SWEEPS OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE

In the final home basketball games of the 2006-07 season, the Lincoln University Blue Tiger teams earned two wins over the Oklahoma Panhandle State University Lady Aggies and Aggies. The women won 64-61 and the men prevailed 87-72. It is the first time since Feb. 24, 2005 that the Blue Tigers have swept a Heartland Conference opponent on Senior Day (final home games in Jason Gymnasium). Those Feb. 24 victories were against former Heartland Conference member Rockhurst University, now members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Women’s Basketball

Behind one of their best shooting games of the season from 3-point range the Blue Tigers rallied late in the game to claim victory over the Lady Aggies, 64-61. The Blue Tigers made 43.8 percent (7 of 16) from behind the 3-point arc.

The Blue Tigers improve to 7-18 overall and 3-6 in the Heartland Conference. The Lady Aggies are 7-18 and 2-6.

Oklahoma Panhandle got out to a large lead early, 9-0 by the 17:05 mark of the beginning half. A bucket by Claire Jenkins for Lincoln University ended a 20-3 blast that gave the home team a 20-12 advantage with 9:44 left. The Lady Aggies scored five consecutive points to trim the Blue Tigers lead to 20-17. The Blue Tigers had pushed the margin back to six points, 28-22 after an 8-2 run less than three minutes from the time the Lady Aggies had closed to within three points. The eight-point run consisted of five points from Stacey Smith and a 3-point basket by Brezette Elder-Wade. A pair of free-throws by Tiffannie Wolfe with :19 seconds left in the half set what was a six-point halftime edge for the Blue Tigers, 30-24.

The Lady Aggies started the second half much like the first. An 8-2 spurt to open the half tied the game 32-32. The Blue Tigers wasted little time in taking back the lead with a 10-3 spree in under three minutes to go back in front, 42-35. A 21-9 run allowed Oklahoma Panhandle to regain the advantage 56-51 at the 5:18 mark of the second half. Ten consecutive points kicked off by back-to-back 3-point shots splashed home by Jasmine Washington and Elder-Wade propelled the Blue Tigers back into control of the game, 61-56 with 2:39 remaining. The Blue Tigers held off a late charge from the Lady Aggies by sinking 3 of 4 (75 percent) of their free-throws in the final :19 seconds to secure the Heartland Conference victory on Senior Day, 64-61.

Megan Hamilton had a game-high 20 points for the Lady Aggies. Yadira Ortega and Alisha Sladek scored 10 points apiece. Val Boothe pulled in 11 rebounds for Oklahoma Panhandle.

Jasmine Washington paced the balanced offense of the Blue Tigers with 14 points. Elder-Wade and Smith each scored 10 points. Wolfe pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.

Men’s Basketball

By tying a season-low of 12 turnovers Lincoln University was able to pick up a much needed Heartland Conference win, 87-72 over Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Feb. 17 in Jason Gymnasium. The ball security shown by the Blue Tigers was something that eluded them in their five previous games, all losses. In the five-game slide Lincoln University averaged 18.8 turnovers-per-game, including an average of 21 tpg in their two home games prior to the Senior Day triumph.

The victory by the Blue Tigers ended any chance of the Aggies making the Heartland Conference Postseason Tournament.

Lincoln University goes to 6-18 with the win, 3-8 in Heartland Conference play. Oklahoma Panhandle State University falls to 7-18 and 3-7.

The three Heartland Conference wins by the Blue Tigers ties the number of conference games they won in 2005-06, when they finished 3-9.

In an opening sequence full of back and forth action for the first three minutes, the Blue Tigers came out with a 10-7 lead. James Edwards popped in a 3-point shot with 17:23 in the first half to give the Blue Tigers the three-point edge. A 3-point attempt netted by Jordan Rush increased the Lincoln University advantage to 13-7. The Aggies closed the gap to two points, 13-11 as LaChawn Anderson was in the midst of scoring eight consecutive points. The last points of the run by Anderson reduced the Blue Tigers lead to 18-15 with 11:24 to play. Jared Boone rattled in a 3-point shot with 5:27 to give the Blue Tigers their biggest edge of the first half, 31-22. The Aggies outscored the Blue Tigers 10-8 in the last 5:05 of the half. Antoine Callum scored four of those last 10 points. Lincoln University was in front at halftime 39-32.

The Aggies kicked off the second half by racing to a 46-43 advantage. The 14-4 run was highlighted by eight points from Anderson including back-to-back 3-point shots to put the Aggies ahead. The Blue Tigers responded by tying the game 51-51. The shot that tied the score was a free-throw off the hands of Ralph Mata as he completed a three-point play. Mata then put the Blue Tigers back in the lead 52-51 by hitting the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity at the 9:47 mark. Lincoln University saw their lead balloon to 18 points when Mata ended the Blue Tigers scoring by burying a pair of free throws with :06 seconds on the clock. The free throws by Mata gave the Blue Tigers their largest lead of the game 87-69. Jake Strain hit a 3-point shot for the Aggies with :02 seconds left to make the final score 87-72.

Fourteen of the Blue Tigers last 16 points came from the free-throw line. The Blue Tigers sank 100 percent (14 of 14) of their free-throws in the final 1:33 of the game. The lone field goal among the 16 points was an emphatic slam dunk by Rush with :12 seconds to play.

LaChawn Anderson erupted for a game-high 35 points. He had 16 of the Aggies 32 points at halftime. The junior from Chicago, Ill. hit 52 percent (13 of 25) from the field. Anderson also yanked down a game-high 12 rebounds. William Stephenson scored 14 points.

Of the Aggies taking three shots or more, Anderson was the only one to make more than 40 percent of his attempts.

Anderson now holds the top two scoring performances in the Heartland Conference this season. In a Feb. 1 game played in Guymon, Okla. Anderson poured in 38 points to lead the Aggies to a 91-69 victory over Texas-Permian Basin. In that win Anderson shot 64 percent (16 of 25) from the field.

Career-high offensive nights from Ralph Mata (27 points) and Brandon Harris (21) lifted the Blue Tigers to victory. Jared Boone scored 12 for Lincoln University. Marcus Warren added 9 points and a team-high 9 rebounds.

The Blue Tigers had their second-best game of the season from the free-throw line. Lincoln University hit 91.7 percent (22 of 24) from the free-throw line.

It was the third best game for the victors from past the 3-point arc. The Blue Tigers swished 42.3 percent (11 of 26) from long range.

Lincoln University scored 25 points off of 18 turnovers by Oklahoma Panhandle State University.

The Aggies out-rebounded the Blue Tigers 41-31.

The Blue Tigers last Heartland Conference contest of the season is their next game, Feb. 22 at St. Edward’s University (Austin, Texas). The Hilltoppers (19-5, 7-2) are leading the Heartland Conference by .51 over University of the Incarnate Word after winning 66-61 at the University of the Incarnate Word on Feb. 17.

The Blue Tigers are 4-2 in the Recreation and Convocation Center since Heartland Conference play began in 2000-01. The last win by a team of Blue Tigers on the Hilltoppers home court was a come from behind victory on Feb. 10, 2005, 75-72. Five Blue Tigers scored in double figures in that competition. The Blue Tigers committed fewer turnovers and had more assists and steals than the Hilltoppers in that win. No current Blue Tiger was a member of that 2004-05 team. Three members on the Hilltoppers team this season were on that 2004-05 team; seniors Kenneth Edwards and Jeff Obersteller, as well as junior Anthony Felder. Edwards started in that game and scored two points in nine minutes. Felder played 17 minutes and put in seven points, while Obersteller grabbed four rebounds in four minutes.

St. Edward’s is looking to sweep the season series with Lincoln University for the second season in a row.

more sports news...